Welcome to the official Brian W. Aldiss website. As well as being a distinguished SF writer, Aldiss is also an important mainstream novelist, a poet, an essayist, a dramatist, an SF historian and critic whose work has been published in dozens of countries around the world.
Here's the latest on Walcot, forthcoming from the Goldmark Gallery. The image here is the probable cover design, but may change. Brian says: "...it seems hard to believe but Jay Goldmark assures me that Walcot will be published in July." At 500+ pages this may well be Brian's longest novel yet! More details and ordering information as soon as we receive it. Click here for a larger cover image.
Two New Novels
A Prehistory of Mind
Brian reports that he has written two new novels: "I have just completed two more novels. They are with my agent. One's an ordinary novel provisionally entitled Shades and Silences, while the other is SF, entitled All the Planets of the Zodiac." Click the News tab for more updates,
Brian's new poetry collection, A Prehistory of Mind has just been published by Mayapple Inc. For more information choose the Latest Books tab above, and to order choose Bookstore from the main menu and click amazon.com.
It seems hard to believe but Jay Goldmark assures me that 'Walcot' will be published mid-May. Despite the recession, it seems they are still keen to lay on a helicopter to get me up there. Hope too have more details in a month or so.
Orion and Malcolm Edwards are going to publish the three Helliconia novels in paperback. No date as yet.
The Bodleian library will publish a collection of my articles and lectures. This is, so I'm told, a singular privilege. I will be lunching with their very successful publisher hoping to persuade him to use some of my paintings as illustrations.
I have just completed two more novels. They are with my agent. One's an ordinary novel provisionally entitled "Shades and Silences", while the other is SF, entitled "All the Planets of the Zodiac". 5) My Journal is now at no.64. i'm sorry to say I have done nothing about getting pages reproduced, but will do something positive sooner or later. 6) t The poems, "A Prehistory of Mind", are doing well - for poetry, that is - and I'm hoping to get a British publisher for an extended version.
I'm shortly going to work with BBC 7, to select some SF short stories to be read over the air. I shall be introducing them. Suggestions for any really brill stories published since 2000 - welcome!
On Saturday 28th February, I'll be flying Emirates for Dubai. In Dubai, they are bravely launching a literary festival. Quite revolutionary, and very expensive (for them, not me!). My dear friend Alison will be with me and we shall being staying in one of those fab hotels.
Non-Stop Wins Retrospective BSFA Award
Brian's 1958 novel NON-STOP has been awarded a retrospective BSFA Award for best novel of its year by attendees at the 2008 British national science fiction convention, Orbital 2008, held at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow, over the Easter Weekend.
Peculiar Bone, Unimaginable Key
Brian has a new short story in an anthology entitled CELEBRATION. Due to be published on 21st March the book marks the 50th anniversary year of the British Science Fiction Association. You can order via the BSFA by clicking here, discount pricing for members!
Oxford Lecture
Brian writes: On Friday 30 May, I give a lecture on SCIENCE AND LITERATURE at the Oxford Playhouse.
Florida & Prehistory
Brian writes: On 17th March, I fly to the university in Tampa, Florida, for some kind of grand occasion. Whatever happens there, I shall be presented with copies of a newly published selection of my poems, A PREHISTORY OF MIND, from Mayapple Inc.
From Tampa I am driven to Orlando, to the hotel where the Conference of the Fantastic will take place. I have been attending this annual IAFA conference since 1981, missing it only once.
Hothouse & Helliconia
Penguin Books will publish a new edition of HOTHOUSE in August 2008---as part of their Modern Classics series. Malcolm Edwards at Orion will be re-issuing Brian's Helliconia series in the not too distant future.
Walcot
Brian writes: WALCOT is well on the way. A young lad spends glorious holidays all alone on an August beach, unconscious of danger. Later, an aunt, who plays a large role in the story, suggests that his parents were hoping to have the lad drowned. This uncomfortable enigma pursues the man throughout life. This is a thread running through a broad canvas which covers the lifestory of one family throughout the Twentieth Century with its many wars and national and international crises. There's also a final chapter whose contents I cannot reveal, but which should please SF readers. WALCOT comes from the art dealers, Goldmark, and promises to be an elegant production.
Brian writes: My art studio progresses. I am accumulating a series of 'isolées', and hope to have an exhibition maybe next year. Trouble is, I don't like parting with them.
The Publisher Says: This self-revealing volume allows readers to: ramble through a Martian desert and other fantastic realms visit the Kremlin, Ulan Bator, a European cafe--get a glimpse of Aldiss’ personal life live through the eyes of a volcano--witness the terror of war and creation of the world. Published here for the first time, on an exclusive basis, is Aldiss’ new short story, “Mortistan.” Experience a different side of Brian Aldiss in this volume—soon to be a collectors’ item!
Award-winning SF author Brian Aldiss ventures into new territory with this, his first, full-length poetry collection.Named Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America in 2000, Aldiss authored The Saliva Tree, the Helliconia series, Trillion Year Spree, and Jocasta—books beloved to SF lovers everywhere. Three of his works have been adapted to the big screen, including Spielberg’s 2001 film AI: Artificial Intelligence. Whether you’re a current or potential Aldiss fan, you’ll enjoy the range, vigor and intimate self-portrait of these poems. For a bigger cover picture click here!
HARM
Paul Ali, a young science fiction writer, of Muslim heritage, is arrested for no reason and held in isolation as prisoner B. Questioned, beaten and humiliated, he writes -- in the privacy of his mind -- a science fiction novel set on a planet in every sense a thousand light years away, gradually, the two worlds start to converge. . .
A Science Fiction Omnibus
Here’s a new edition of an old favourite. Brian’s landmark anthology The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus (originally published as three books, Penguin Science Fiction, More Penguin Science Fiction and Yet More Penguin Science Fiction in the 1960s) has been fully revised and updated for the 21st century and is now part of the Penguin Modern Classics series.
Here's a short video (courtesy of Youtube) of Brian talking about things deep and meaningful, you can also find video clips of Brian talking about his work on the individual book pages (choose Writing from the main menu) for Super-State, the Helliconia novels, Non-Stop and Trillion Year Spree.
Some features of the site now require user registration; you need only provide your name, a user name, a password and an e-mail address. This has been made necessary in an effort to combat the activities of spammers. When you register you will be sent an automated e-mail that asks you to confirm your registration. At present only the forum and guestbook require user registration, but more member only content, including competitions, will be added. If you subscribe to the site newsletter, as a registered user you will also be able to manage your subscription.
Navigation
Regular visitors to this site will notice that it's undergone some radical changes recently--8th March 2008 as I write this. Context sensitive menus giving access to additional pages now open above the main menu when necessary. On the individual book pages, accessed by selecting the main menu item Writing, cover image galleries, like the one shown as an example below, now display in a way that emulates a photographer's light box. To view a gallery click any image. Much site info is now displayed on tabbed pages, this allows for faster loading times for information that is not part of the main page you have gone to. The bookstore page now uses a roll-down system to give you the opportunity to purchase Brian's books.
Contacting us
Messages can be sent using the Contact Us button on the top menu.
Site Search
The site now includes an integral search facility. The search box is in the top, left hand corner of the page. Enter a search term and you search results will display on a new page that gives you the opportunity to refine them. On tabbed pages you may have to look at each tabbed section to find the exact information you are looking for.
Who to blame
This site is maintained with Brian's full cooperation by James Goddard, I am responsible for any errors etc. If you want to moan contact me via the Contact Us button in the top menu.
Welcome to the official Brian W. Aldiss website. As well as being a distinguished SF writer, Aldiss is also an important mainstream novelist, a poet, an essayist, a dramatist, an SF historian and critic whose work has been published in dozens of countries around the world.
Here's the latest on Walcot, forthcoming from the Goldmark Gallery. The image here is the probable cover design, but may change. Brian says: "...it seems hard to believe but Jay Goldmark assures me that Walcot will be published in July." At 500+ pages this may well be Brian's longest novel yet! More details and ordering information as soon as we receive it. 
Brian's new poetry collection, A Prehistory of Mind has just been published by Mayapple Inc. For more information choose the Latest Books tab above, and to order choose Bookstore from the main menu and click amazon.com.
